A Sunday-poem by Fr. David May from Madonna House for the beginning of this Year of Faith:
Faith’s Beginning
by Fr. David May.
It was (and is) like this:
That tortuous, tortured place,
Fleeing, like a tremulous little bird,
Flitting between hiding places,
Creature of shadows
Never in full light,
Yet giving away its presence
In fluttering wings and piercing
Song of evening…
That closed and stone-hard place,
Impenetrable, hard as hawk’s eyes,
Gleaming, piercing summer’s noon
With cold, unyielding stare,
Hunter driven by hunger…
Cauldron of bitter schemes,
Witch’s brew angry and troubled,
Seething even in quiet,
Secretly boiling, overflowing
Pain of nothingness and loving it…
That place—my heart—embraced by You.
No word, no admonition,
No judgment, no mountain storm
Of lightning, wind, thunder,
Slide of rocks, mud, trees,
Not even a gentle breeze or whisper of air,
But only strength of stillness
Laying irrevocable claim,
As if mining for gold
Buried in black-night earth,
Seeing treasure where none is,
Digging with bloodied hands
Till the mask is cast off—
Awakening love, reaching out
Like a reed crushed then mended,
Believing in the One believing in me,
Creature from his hands.
And a note from Madonna House: If you enjoy our articles, we ask you to please consider subscribing to the print edition of Restoration; it’s only $10 a year, and will help us stay in print. Thanks, and God bless you!
Witnesses to Hope 